The weekend ratings for the sports weekend have been released and CBS is the big winner as the NCAA Tournament won big. In fact, the first four days have reached record heights for the Tiffany Network. USA Today has the review of the weekend.
CBS has reason to crow and its put out a press release to celebrate its four day record.
NESN, the regional sports network owned by the Red Sox and Bruins, along with the YES Network, owned and operated by the New York Yankees, have come together on a joint venture for original programming. Both have produced and subsequently airing a poker match between teams from Boston and New York (you didn’t think they would get Albuquerque and Chicago, did you?). Bill Griffith of the Boston Globe has the skinny on the production.
Griffith also writes about the New England Patriots getting the NFL Season Opener on Thursday night, September 8 against the Oakland Raiders. In that same story, Globe football writer gets a quote from Raiders General Partner Al Davis who feels he’s getting screwed by the NFL yet again.
Here’s the official statement from the NFL on which games will be nationally televised on Opening Weekend.
If you’re starved for football during the offseason, the NFL Network will carry 20 NFL Europe games.
Back to the Boston theme for a bit, David Scott wonders why WEEI talk show host Ted Sarandis decided to speculate on the stroke that felled Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi even though he really didn’t have any solid information. Callers got angry at Ted and it took his guest host to help calm things down. It’s a very good read.
Over to the New York Times, Richard Sandomir profiles the low-rated reality show, “The Contender” produced by Mark Burnett of “Survivor” fame. NBC has been treading water with this show ever since it first aired last week.
SI.com’s Richard Deitsch was on hand for the Opening Day of the NCAA Tournament at CBS and he chronicled his day and also shook hands with Viacom co-President Leslie Moonves. What joy.
Those are the links for now. If there are any updates including statements from NFL Commish Paul Tagliabue regarding the Monday Night Football situation, I’ll be sure to pass them along.
